February 2014 Current Events: U.S. News

Here are the key events in United States news for the month of February 2014.

Seattle Seahawks Win First Super Bowl in Franchise History (Feb. 2): The Seattle Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos, 43–8, to win their first Super Bowl championship in franchise history. It is also the first championship win for head coach Pete Carroll who previously coached the New York Jets and New England Patriots. Carroll becomes only the third coach to have won both a Super Bowl and a college national championship. The other two coaches to do so are Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer.

Budget Cuts Shrink Army to pre-World War II Size (Feb. 24): Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announces that the Pentagon will be shrinking the U.S. Army to the smallest size it's been since before World War II. The cuts include eliminating A-10 aircraft, reducing military benefits and reducing the size of the army from its current 520,000 soldiers to between 440,000 and 450,000 soldiers. The last time the U.S. Army had 450,000 was in 1940. The cuts come as the Pentagon prepares for nearly a trillion dollars in spending reductions over the next decade.

Arizona Governor Vetoes Anti-Gay Bill (Feb. 27):Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer vetoes a bill that would have allowed businesses in the state to deny service to gays and lesbians in the name of religious beliefs. During a news conference, Brewer says, "I sincerely believe that Senate Bill 1062 has the potential to create more problems than it purports to solve." The bill has sparked controversy and outrage from the LGBT community as well as civic leaders. Arizona Sen. John McCain urged Brewer to veto the bill.